Legend of Growling Fist
by SoaringGryphonProductions
Summary: A petty thief off the streets has caught Master Shifu's eye. She is 'Dog' and she has the potential to be the newest addition to the Furious Five. Please rate and review or 'Dog' will come after you. I own no rights to this movie.
1. The Thief

**Kung-Fu Panda- Legend of Growling Fist**

**Chapter 1- The Thief**

It is said that even the most unlikely creatures are capable of doing great things. In the Valley of Peace, there lived a young woman from the streets with a knack for trouble. She was Dog **(voiced by Halle Berry)** and she was considered to be one of the most skilled thieves in the valley. Whether by day or by night, no target was safe from her.

She's a Kunming Dog by breed and her favorite targets were food stalls at the local market. One this day, she found her target in the form of an unguarded basket of ripe peaches, "Well hello there, O delicious ones," She quietly said to herself, licking her lips and savoring the meal to come.

She leaped from rooftop to rooftop and made her way into the market unnoticed by anyone on the streets. Her stomach was growling and she longed for a meal. She looked down and placed her hand on her belly. Her eyes were still fixed on her target, "Don't worry, I'll satisfy your craving," she muttered,

She looked to see the merchant grabbing the peach she wanted out of the basket. She lightly gasped a single breath; Dog knew she had to get her meal with a high risk of getting noticed. She used her speed to make her way through the crowds. Her tongue was hanging out and her hunger was unceasing,

She leaped over the merchant and snatched the fruit in the middle of a mid-air flip. She landed back on her feet and bolted in a gallop on all-fours, "Dog, you vermin, come back with that peach!" The merchant cried chasing after her with stick at hand. Dog looked back and stuck out her tongue,

"That's what I am! Catch me if you can!" Dog taunted back running off out of the city with her prize under her shirt. She weaved her way through crowds of shoppers running full speed out of the city to the safety of a tall willow tree. She smiled at the peach in satisfaction and rolling it about in her hands.

"Another day, another meal," She said to herself sitting in a high tree branch and bit into the peach's sweet and sour flesh, "and hard work makes the meal all the better," Dog was a drifter. She traveled from town to town, seeking food and other items like blankets and clothes.

Now residing in the Valley of Peace, Dog made her name known in notoriety as the best in her line of business and business is good. But the next morning she was going to face her most difficult challenge to date. It was an old man slightly larger than a child. To Dog, he was an easy target, but looks can be deceiving,

Around his neck was a medallion which she eyed as a prize, "Gotcha," She said to herself watching him atop a rooftop. Like a shadow in the darkness, she followed the old man to the outskirts of the town to the forest. But some animals are better suited to stealth than others.

"Come on out, I know what it is that you seek," said the old man, but Dog didn't trust him which was Dog's first rule of thievery; 'never trust anyone'. Dog was slow to come out of the bushes. She had golden yellow eyes which were fixed on the prize around the old man's neck,

The clicking sound of her nails against the cobblestone roads sounded as she stepped forward to face him, "Hand over the necklace, old man, and I won't have to hurt yah," Dog said, standing her ground and looking at the man with untrustworthy eyes. The Old Man kept his composure as he stared at Dog. He could see great power and potential in her,

"It would be foolish of you to face me, young one," The Old Man said back, hoping the dog would take his advice. But Dog was a fighter. She was going to take that prize by any means necessary. She focused her chi and took up a fighting stance. She slowly positioned herself ready for battle, "looks like we'll have to do things the hard way,"

"Don't take me lightly, Old Man," Dog growled and attacked. She aimed a full-circle sweeping kick to his ankles which he easily dodged with a leap and a backflip, "nice moves, but try and dodge this!" She spun herself back up in a break dance-like movement and came down with an axe kick,

With a furious barrage of strikes and kicks, she attacked the old man but all her techniques were easily blocked and parried. Most of her attacks were aimed at the ankles and body since her style specializes in takedowns and ground fighting. She was fast, but it seemed The Old Man was faster and seemed ten steps ahead of her,

The Old Man stopped her leg with his middle and index fingers, "You have great strength, Dog," He said flipping the young girl backwards and she landed on her back with an extended kick as she hit the ground which he avoided easily by leaping backwards, "but I know it is not the medal around my neck that you seek,"

Dog tilted her head bemusedly and moved back with a round-off back handspring. She stopped a hand strike aimed at the Old Man's head. The Old Man stopped it rather easily and swept Dog off her feet, literally. She looked up at the old man from the ground in shock. This was no ordinary old geezer.

She came to a realization, the old man saw directly want she wanted. She only stole to survive, but there was something she wanted more than gold or riches, it was a friend. The Old Man walked away and left Dog with one simple question to be answered, "Wait…Old Man, who are you?" She asked,

"I am Shifu," The Old Man replied, "come, Dog, you have much to learn," The old man was on the road back to the Jade Temple, home of the Furious Five. Dog saw that she was in good company for the first time since she was a pup. She followed Shifu back to the temple where her adventures were about to begin.


	2. The Student

**Kung-Fu Panda- Legend of Growling Fist**

**Chapter 2- The Student**

The Master and his new student climbed up the many stone-carved stairs to the top of the mountain where the Furious Five trained. Dog climbed the many step but was out of breath as she made it to the top, "Water...grilled fish...a rock...anything!" She groaned,

"Come now, my pupil, it is time to meet your peers," Shifu said, opening the great gates to the sight of his students going through their training. Dog looked at them in awe. She was now in the face of the Furious Five. Dog couldn't believe her eyes.

"Ahem...settle down everyone...this is Dog, she will be staying with us," Shifu explained to them. Tigress took a break from her training and looked at the newcomer with a neglect. It was obvious this girl looked like trouble from her perspective.

But Po the Panda, The Famous Dragon Warrior, recognized her immediately, "Hey...hey, hey, hey, I know you, you're a frequent customer at my father's noodle shop!" Po said excitedly, Dog smiled at the Panda. She always liked it there, the fun atmosphere, everything.

"Humph, I don't like her," Tigress scoffed, shooting the new recruit a small glare. Dog's eyes met hers as a stare down ensued. Dog didn't want any trouble. There was nothing on Tigress that was worth taking other than pride, "is there a problem...Fleabag?"

"Oh no not at all...Stripey Pants," Dog shot back. Tigress roared while Dog growled and barked. Dog flashed her canines in defense and snarled. The other warriors kept their distance because messing with Tigress often meant 'lights out' to anyone who dared to face her.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the dog and the tiger are meant to be friends, but the relations between these two say otherwise. The two warriors circled each other like they were ready to fight. The aura was thick and almost palpable, "I don't want to fight you," said Dog, not wanting to get into a confrontation,

"Who said you had a choice?" Tigress snarled attacking and wanting to put the rookie in her place. Dog dodged Tigress's fist by moving to the side with one hand behind her back. She could sense great power in her fighting style. The shock wave that came from the second fist to her stomach felt like getting hit by a battering ram.

Dog was pushed back by the blow and held placed her hands on her stomach. She coughed and hacked but stood up to face her opponent, "You're good," Dog complimented and took up her style's fighting stance. Tigress charged at her opponent, but Dog had a trick up her loose white sleeves.

Dog moved backward to the ground and stopped herself from falling on her back by placing her paws behind her and one right leg. The other leg she used like a spear and used her body to propel her left foot into Tigress's stomach, "I see so you do have some fight in you, Flea Trap,"

The fight between the two of them went back and forth. Each warrior was contently see-sawing from offense to defense. Tigress and Dog were locked in a stalemate of kicks and punches. Dog used a full jumping split to dodge two front kicks aimed at Dog's chest and belly. But Tigress found an opening and kicked her in the face,

"I fight only when I have to, Kitten," Dog stated coming back down to Earth and rubbing her bruised cheek, "you have power in your fists...," Dog used one of her technique's specialties to test her opponent, "but how's your footwork?" Tigress was angered by Dog's insulting remark and attacked.

Dog was on her back and found an opening. Dog used a scissor-kick takedown toward Tigress's ankles. The technique threw Tigress off balance. Time seemed to slow down and speed back up again as she used a breakdance-style kick to Tigress's right cheek.

Tigress was hit twice in the cheek but she stopped the third kick from doing any further damage, "You maybe a warrior," Tigress said stopping the kick and grabbing a hold of dog's ankle. She began to pummel the rookie with a kick to her head. Dog was sent flying and landed violently on her back, "but you're no match for me,"

Tigress was about to strike the final blow to finish her off, but Shifu stepped in to intervene and easily blocked Tigress's kick, "That's enough, Tigress," Shifu scolded allowing Dog to get back up onto her feet, "that is not how one should greet a guest, I would have expected better of you,"

"But Master if I must say, she's a thief...a street rat!" Tigress protested heatedly pointing to Dog whom was sitting in the courtyard, scratching an itch she had behind her ear. Dog felt insulted by Tigress's harsh words. Her head was dipped down in shame and sadly went toward the front gate, but Po was blocking the way.

"Hey, hey, don't leave, Dog," said Po, "listen I know Tigress can be harsh, trust me I'd know," Dog chuckled at Po, "you're strong and really hardcore in fact you're one of the few guys I know that can put Tigress on her back, so c'mon will you stay...please?" Panda was on his knees and pulling on Dog's sleeve.

Dog looked down at the Panda and lightly smiled, "Alright Po I'll stay, now can you please get up? It's embarrassing," She turned to Shifu and bowed. The other Furious Five bowed back, that is everyone but Tigress. She didn't like her being here at all. Shifu came up and inspected Dog.

"Hmm...You have a great power in you, Dog," Shifu said in observation and sensing the chi flow inside her body. Dog wagged her tail in anticipation for her training as any canine would, "but you have a habit of running away when things go wrong, which is why Tigress would have defeated you...now then, you and I have work to do,"

All the Furious Five introduced themselves to the new warrior, but Dog had a ways to go if she was going to be a part of this group. Po the Panda was as giddy as child, shaking her hands until her arms nearly fell off. But Dog had a ways to go both physically and maturely if she wanted to prove herself worthy.


	3. The Training

**Kung-Fu Panda- Legend of Growling Fist**

**Chapter 3- The Training**

After settling in rather quickly, Dog's training with Shifu began. Shifu kept things simple since she was new to the temple. Yet simple was not the best word to describe some of Shifu's methods, but like the animal of her type she wanted to gain her Master's favor to be one of the Furious Five, and become a master herself.

Such things take time to happen. Dog's training began with pull ups, but her pull-ups involved having ten pound stones tied to her wrists. The object of the exercise was, with small cups, to fill the pots on the sides of where her ankles were tied with water. This was to help with Dog's focusing of her chi and utilizing her strength.

On top of that, there were razor sharp bamboo spikes just below her, "Focus now, Dog, the point of this is so you can keep your sight on doing multiple things at once, filling the cup with water then pouring it in the jar," Shifu instructed to his new student, while Dog nodded seeing she had an upside down view of her master.

Dog was panting and sweating but she didn't give up, "Yes master," Dog said obediently. But for her integrity, there were always distractions. The aroma of cooked fish filled her nose, "hmm...is it lunch time yet?" she groaned, but her master's answer to her question was very simple and straight-forward without need of any words.

Shifu tapped her on the head with a thin bamboo stick, "Like I said, you have to maintain focus," Shifu said as he turned his back on his student with the bamboo stick behind his back, "one hundred more...then you can eat," He instructed to his student. The first thing all students must learn in any form of schooling is discipline.

Dog whimpered. She was hungry. She could see there was no way out of this exercise. If she tried to gnaw off the ropes, she would be skewered on the bamboo spikes below. But something inside her kept her going. In her past, she ran away from the law. Now in the temple, it was going to be her task uphold that which she ran away from.

All the time she spent scratching a living on the streets "No...I work hard on the streets to survive, I can do this, nothing can stop me," She cringed with the salt and sweat stinging her eyes. She never stopped, and even gathered onlookers in the forms of Po the Panda and Master Monkey. Dog was steadily finding her place among their ranks.

In the course of the entire afternoon, she completed all one hundred pull-ups. But she had missed her meal time, "You did well, my student," said Master Shifu coming out of the darkness of the temple holding a candle and checking on his student to make sure she did not pass out from exercising or blood flowing into her head.

Dog's eyes glowed a yellow-green color. She was still hungry, "Good work? But I never got to eat," She whimpered looking at her master upside down, still tied to her training area. Dog had worked harder than she ever had in her life. She maybe a former thief, but she was finding that there was more behind the Master's ways.

"You know...being a kung fu student and a thief have one thing in common," Shifu said, pulling a peach from behind his back, "you work hard to get your rewards," Dog licked her lips at the sight of the fruit. Even in her hunger, she could see that her Master was proving a valid point with his words of wisdom to his student.

Shifu removed the spikes from under her and Dog gnawed off the ropes. He tossed her the peach. Dog feasted ravenously on the fruit's golden flesh, "Come now you must rest, there is much to do tomorrow," Shifu instructed to Dog having eaten the peach to the pit, and keeping the pit for safe keeping so she can grow her own tree.

Dog bowed and went off to her quarters, but Tigress was watching and she didn't exactly approve of what she was seeing. Her sharp eyes were watching the student from the shadows. Dog knew she was there, "C'mon, you think I don't know you're watching me?" Dog said to the eyes peering out of the darkness in the temple.

"Can I have a word with you?" said Tigress quietly entering Dog's chamber. Dog could sense someone was there, but her kind have a way in telling who was friend and who was foe. From the tone of her words, Dog could tell something was bothering Tigress. Something she would rather not speak to Master Shifu about as he might not approve

"Sure, is there a problem?" Dog asked as Tigress entered the room. Tigress shook her head 'no', but Dog didn't trust it, "look I have nothing against you, but what is that you have against me?" she added to her questioning what Tigress was doing up so late at night while Dog was about ready to pack it in, "can't it wait til morning?"

Tigress shook her head at Dog's questioning. Dog started to get a little annoyed, "I really don't see what Master Shifu sees in you," Tigress replied crossing her arms. Dog didn't take the tone of Tigress's voice lightly, "it's a warrior's duty to uphold peace and justice, you're just a thief, I see none of that in you," she scolded to Dog.

Dog kept her temper under control, she knew violence wouldn't solve this. It certainly didn't provide her a great welcoming into the temple, "Then your judgment is clouded," she said, used to having things said about her, often times they were said when she was running away from the law. This was the first time they were said to her face.

"Don't tell me what I am and what I am not!" Tigress blasted back. Tigress breathed heavily while dog stood her ground, "just answer me this," she panted, "what makes you so much...better than I am?" she asked in a tone that demanded an answer from her. Dog's eyes slanted from anger to a cool and collected manner at Tigress.

"It's not that I'm better," Dog replied sighing a depressed sigh. She could see that though they made their differences. She could see a friend in Tigress. Like learning Kung-Fu, making friends takes time, "you know what difference between you and me is?" Tigress raised an eyebrow, "you, like me, were alone, but you had a roof over your head,"

"Maybe you don't know what it's like to be constantly on the run all your life, hmm?" Dog asked her, Tigress looked at her in slight shock. Dog tilted her head slightly waiting for an answer from Tigress. As she expected, she did not receive one from her rival. Dog lightly smirked a thief's smile, "heh, I didn't think so...good night,"

Dog slammed the door in her face and went to bed, "Do you understand now, Tigress?" Shifu said noticing the moment which unfolded between the two warriors from behind the scenes, "the past may forge people into what they become, but through proper methods, they can change and create their own both to a better and brighter future,"

"But why her? Is there something you see in her that I don't?" Tigress asked, Shifu closed his eyes and remembered the fight the fight he had against her yesterday afternoon, "for all we know there could be something in this temple that she wants," Tigress added once again accusing Dog, "she does not belong here,"

"_**That**_ is not your decision to make, you have much to learn yourself," Shifu scolded Tigress, she bowed down ask for his forgiveness, "I believe even the most unlikely of people can change their ways," Shifu replied, "now get some rest Tigress, I hope you and Dog can work things out," Tigress bowed to her master and went to her quarters,

"Maybe I should try again, maybe Dog isn't as bad a person us I make her out to be," Tiger said to herself at her bedside, scratching her chin in thought. The next day, it was another day of training for the new student. If Po could see that Dog is, in fact, a good person with a good heart then Tigress decided to give Dog a chance as well.

"Wakey wakey!" Monkey said barging into Dog's room unannounced. It seemed every one of the Furious Five had their own way of greeting the newcomer to the temple. Dog growled and threw her pillow at him which he dodged easily, "ha ha! That all you got? You're gonna have to do better than that, Meat Breath!" He teased,

"What? Meat Breath? say that again, I'll shove that monkey tail down your throat!" Dog blasted getting out of her room and chasing Monkey all over the temple grounds. Master didn't approve of this at all having been woken up by the sound of Dog's barking all over the temple as she ran passed him while she was chasing Monkey.

As punishment, the two warriors were busy in the yard breaking bricks with their heads. But as seasoned warriors, this was easy stuff, "10...11...12, man I'm hungry," Dog said with gray brick dust covering her head. Dog muttered a low growl at Monkey since he was the one who started it, but Master Shifu did not want to play the blame game

"You always hungry, you're just as bad as Po," Monkey joked breaking bricks on his forehead. These were the times it was well worth the punishment if it meant having a little fun and bonding time between friends. Such is the case of Dog and Monkey, "say Dog...how many bricks have you broken?" Dog looked at him and sighed,

"13," Dog replied dryly, but got an extra brick from Monkey for her forehead. Monkey was always a joker, but he does have his serious side. But slowly and steadily she was getting to know each member of the Furious Five. Dog gave Monkey a light smile though she would have to admit it was fun chasing Monkey's tail all over the temple.

"Well here's 14 and 15, ha ha, hey! that's quite some head you have there, Dog!" Monkey complimented with a laugh to the new student and giving her two more bricks for good measure. Dog had the heart and the fighting spirit. Dog was also smart, but easily riled up as Monkey exploited when he tried to wake her up that morning.

"Some head? Uh...," Dog replied in a daze. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell backwards with a 'thunk'. Monkey watched the moment and itched his way out of his punishment and left Dog to be. The next hurdle was getting over the others masters, and getting to know them. Soon she would also prove herself in battle.


End file.
